For the majority of its existence, radio content, such as music and talk radio, has been delivered to listeners over traditional modulation broadcasting means, such as AM and FM. Although most FM and AM radio services are provided free of charge, the problem with FM and AM radio is that broadcasters recoup their costs by presenting advertisements in the broadcasts, which listeners may find annoying.
More recently, satellite radio services have become popular amongst listeners, due to their ad-free nature. However, listeners must pay a premium for satellite radio over FM and AM radio, often having to pay hundreds of dollars per year.
Another problem with satellite radio services are their subscription-type payment plans, which cause frustration to travelers, who end up having to pay for services they do not use. Furthermore, another problem with current services occurs when a subscription plan is tied to a receiving device built into a vehicle, such as a car. The reason being that when a user sells the vehicle, they lose the subscription plan tied to the vehicle.